Bouquet holder



Sept. 6,1932.

I INVENTOR.

Walker h. fiuo/olph BY ATTORNEY.

Patented Sept. 6, 1932 PATENT OFFICE WALTER H. RUDOLPH, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK BOUQUET HOLDER I Application filed September 1, 1931. Serial No. 560,571.

This invention relates to devices of the type known as bouquet holders such as are employed for containing cu't flowers for use in cemeteries, gardens, etc., and particularly of the type wherein a vase like container has associated with it one or more prongs or spikes adapted to bethrust into the ground for the purpose of maintaining the container in which the stems of the flowers are retained,

together with a quantity of water, in an upright position.

Devices of the general type above described are not broadly new, but have been in use for sometime. As heretofore constructed, however, such devices have been subject to many objections, among which may be noted the difiiculty of maintaining the water and flower holding container in the desired upright positon in soft damp earth or sand or in a sandy soil, the former devices being so constructed that if a large bouquet of relatively heavy flowers were placed in one of them the supporting means or prong would not function effectively to maintain the container upright and the effectiveness of the device was thereby destroyed. In addition the constructions heretofore employed'were such that the prongs or spikes could not be packed in the same carton with the container without employing a carton of much greater volume than the container, therefore it has been the usual practice to ship the prongs separately from the containers.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved construction for a device of the character set forth in which a plurality of spikes or prongs are employed and in which the connection of the spikes or prongs to the flower container is so arranged that the container will be held in a condition of quite stable equilibrium when the prongs are thrust into the ground.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved construction for the spike or prong forming element, by means of which it'can be detached quickly and easily from the flower container. a

A further object is to provide a construction of the prong forming element that will enable it to be readily packed for shipping in nested engagement with the container and thereby reduce packing and shipping costs. A still further object is to so construct the spike-forming element relatively to the container that the container will co-operate with the spike-forming element to add rigidity thereto when the parts are assembled.

Another object is to so construct the spikeforming element that it can be readily used I with containers of diiferent sizes.

A further object is to provide a construction of marked simplicity that can be manufactured and sold at a very low cost.

The above and other objects of the invention will appear more fully from the following more detailed description and by'reference to the accompanying drawing forming apart hereof; and wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a bouquet holder constructed in accordance with the principles of this invention; v

Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of the structure shown in Fig. 1;

partly in section on the line 33 of Fig. 2.

As shown in the drawing the numeral 10 indicatesa flower container which may be of any suitable shape or size, but which as shown is of frusto conical form. While the container maybe constructed of any suitable material it is shown in the constructional eX- ample illustrated in the drawing as of sheet metal, the'side walls being united with the bottom 11 by means of a rolled interlocked seam or head 12.

In accordance with the present invention the container includes as an essential element an annular flange 13 extending about the lower periphery thereof and projecting below the bottom 12. This flange is preferably formed coincidentally with the rolling of the seam 12 and is also preferably so shaped as to provide an annular recess 14: that is arc-shaped in cross section as shown at the left of Fig. 3.

The annular recess 14 serves for the attachment to the container 10 of a spike or prong forming element preferably constructedof a length of stout wire sinuously big. 3 is-a'view partly in elevation and 75 p bent to form a pair of reversely urved section or portions 17 and a V-shaped central section or portion 18.

As shown most clearly in Fig. 2 the outer sides of the bends 17 and the closed end 19 of the ii-shaped portion 18 are adapted to be engaged within the annular recess 14 formed by the annular projecting bead 18. As will be noted from an inspection of Fig. 2 the horizontally extending re-entrant central spring section of the spike-forming'element engages with the annular recess 14 at three equally spaced points within the flanged bottom of the container, such points being spaced approximately 120 apart. This horizontal portion of said element also forms a flat supporting surface, the upper face of which contacts with the flat'bottom 11 of the container. Due to the arc-shaped cross section of the annular recess 14, the upper face of the portions 17, 18, 19 will be forced, orclamped as it were, tightly against the flat bottom 11.

It will be noted by referring to Fig. 2 that the prongs or spikes 15 are located at diametrically opposed points of the bottom and in contacting engagement with the flange .18. Due to this construction the flanged bottom of the container serves to impart added rigidity to the spikes and moreover the location of the spikes at diametrically opposed points tends to hold'the container in a position of more stable equilibrium when the spikes are inserted into the ground.

The provision of the central V-shaped portion 18 results in imparting considerable'resiliency to the spike-forming element which not only insures a ti 'hter gripping engagement of the element with the flange 18, but also permits the element to be more readily sprung inwardly so as to disengage it from said flange. ln addition the central ti-shaped portion 18 also permits the spike-forming element to be readily employed with vases of varying sizes.

The manner in which the device is used will be readily understood. If it is desired to employ the container in assembled condition with the spikes, the spikes are sprungin- 'Wardljy a suflicient distance to permit the portions 17, 19, to be inserted within the flange .13. The spikes are then released and due to the resiliency of the wire the portions 17 will spring into sung contacting engagement within the annular recess 14. The spikes 15 are thrust into the ground and the entire structure will be maintained quite securely in a vertical position.

As will be seen from the foregoing the present construction possesses the following advantages: The use of two spikes located at diametrically opposed points insures that the devicewill be held securely in the ground and particularly in damp ground or sand. The spikes are readily removable by gripping both of them and squeezing them towards each other. The construction of the spikeforming element is such that a plurality of vases can be arranged invnested relationship and the spikes placed in a container with such vases by turning the spike-forming element up-side-down and packing them alongside the vases. The reniovability of the spikes from the container enables the user to place the vase on a grave stone or other convenient flat surface while arranging the bouquet. Due to the construction of the spike-forming element with the V-shaped portion 18 and the curved ends 17 with the spikes located in close proximity to the flange 13, the container serves to impart rigidity to the spikes when the parts are assembled. The greater resiliency secured by reason of the V-shaped portion 18 permits the element to be used with vases having flanges of different dimensions, as a result less dimensional accuracy is required not only in the manufacture of the sp1keforming element, but also, which is of even greater advantage, in the manufacturing of the containers.

lVhile I have shown for the purpose of this application a satisfactory construction example embodying the principles of the present invention, it will be understood that many'changes, variations and modifications of the specific details may be resorted to Without departing from such principles.

I claim:

1. A bouquet holder comprising a container having a flanged bottom, and a spikeforming element detachably secured to said bottom, said element comprising a plurality of spikes located at, spaced points closely adjacent to the said flanged bottom, a container-engaging portion of sinuous contour having a plurality of sections contacting with the flange of said'bottom ata plurality of substantially equally spaced points.

2. A. bouquet holder comprising a-container having a flanged bottom, and a spikeforming element detachably secured to said bottom, said element comprising 'a plurality of spikes located at opposed points closely adjacent to the perimeter of said bottom, and a container engaging portion, said engaging portion comprising a V-shaped centralsection and a pair of reversely bent sections located at the ends of the legs of said V sec tion for engagement with the flange of said bottom.

3. A bouquet holder comprising a container having-a flanged bottom, and a spikeforming element detachably secured. to said bottom, said element comprising a plurality of spikes located at diametrically opposed points closely adjacent to the perimeter of said bottom, and a container engaging portion, said engaging portion extending perpendicularly to said spikes and comprising a V-shaped central portion andapair of t reversely curved portions located at the ends of said V-shaped portion, the spikes being located at the ends of said reversely curved portions to lie in closely contacting relationship with the flange of said bottom,

'4. A bouquet hold'er comprising a container having a flanged bottom, and a spikeforming element detachably secured to said bottom, said element comprising a plurality of spikes located at diametrically opposed points closely adjacent to the perimeter of said bottom, and a container engaging portion, said engaging portion comprising a V-shaped central section and a pair of reversely curved side sections located at the ends of said V-section, the outer faces of said reversely curved sections and the closed end of the V-shaped section engaging With the flange of said container at equally spaced points spaced approximately apart.

5. A bouquet holder comprising a container having a flanged bottom and a spike forming element detachably secured thereto, said element comprising a plurality of spikes and a container-engaging portion including a central spring section of substantially sinuous form engaging said flanged bottom at a plurality of spaced points. I

6. A bouquet holder comprising a container having a flanged bottom and a spikeforming element detachably secured thereto, said element having a horizontally extending sinuously curved portion including a re-entrant central spring section and a plurality of spikes extending perpendicular to said horizontal portion located adjacent to the ends thereof.

7. A bouquet holder comprising a container having a flanged bottom and a spike forming element connected thereto, said element comprising a central main spring section, a pair of short reversely curved sections joinedat their inner ends to the ends of said central section and a pair of spike sections located one at each of the outer ends of said curved sections and extending perpendicular to said bottom.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature hereto WALTER H. RUDOLPH. 

